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Friday, September 19, 2008

Props to "Rape Kit" Letter-Writers

Writing letters to the editor of local papers mentioning Sarah Palin's rape kit billing policy is going to be one of the best ways to get the story out as long as the media ignores it.

Maria Nelson of New Richmond, Wisconsin wrote such a letter today: Props to her!

McCain and Palin have records of requiring rape victims to pay for the “rape kits” used by police to gather rape evidence. While Palin was mayor, Wasilla was the only Alaska municipality charging the costs of rape kits to the victims. This practice stopped in Wasilla in 2000 when Alaska’s Democratic governor, Tony Knowles, signed legislation banning police from billing rape victims for such investigations.

In 1994, Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden pushed through the Violence Against Women Act, which required state, local and Indian governments to provide the rape exams to victims free of charge. McCain voted against the legislation.